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Monday, September 19, 2011

First World Problems

I've recently encountered a phrase that fits perfectly into understanding the severity of something: first world problem. Often a hashtag on Twitter, the phrase has stuck and it's spawned some funny sites like this one.

In many ways, I find this an evolution of the Stuff White People Like blog: white people with a certain amount of financial security and particular lifestyle habits poking fun at themselves. It's all harmless and I find the humor in it is as well.

Yet knowing about this self-awareness makes me even more cautious to talk about my "problems." It's a great gauge to understand what's an earth-shattering problem and what is not. Merely watching snippets of a Real Housewives show or My Super Sweet 16 can show you plenty. I try to be careful about what I whine about -- knowing full well that I am a lucky and fortunate person.

It's like that line in Swingers (in the same conversation that spawned the title of this here blog), where Rob is conveying his frustration about making it in Hollywood: "You're telling me that your life sucks; that means my life is God-awful."

I hope I come across as caring and a non-whiner, but some things really drive me up the wall. Who I tell this stuff to is different. The more caring and understanding people I know, they hear it all. But with people that only know me in passing, my Facebook and Twitter friends, well, I watch what I say. Besides, do you really want to be lampooned and be cast as a stereotype?